Friedhelm Funkel leaves FC Köln: Who will be the new trainer?

Friedhelm Funkel leaves FC Köln: Who will be the new trainer?

Friedhelm Funkel will not remain coach of 1. FC Köln after successfully led the club to the Bundesliga promotion. The 71-year-old announced this decision in a conversation with the Cologne Stadt-Anzeiger and emphasized that he did not feel 100 percent approval in the committees ". His decision is "irrefutable" and he does not want to wait for a majority for his return. Funkel received the support of fans and parts of the team, including defender Dominique Heintz.

Funkel, who won in his last two games as an interim coach in the 2024/25 season against Nuremberg and 1. FC Kaiserslautern, thus secured the rise of 1. FC Köln to the Bundesliga. Despite its success, the club will have to go into the new season with a new coach. Funkel itself plans to continue his coaching career, but decided not to take part in the selection process for a successor.

The selection process for a new trainer

The new sports director Thomas Kessler had proposed Funkel as a desired solution, but was unable to achieve a majority for him in the joint committee. Kessler and Funkel had an open conversation that was characterized by appreciation. Kessler expressed gratitude for Funkel's merits around FC and explained that the club will now have various conversations with potential trainers.

Among the possible successors can be found names such as Christian Titz, Urs Fischer, Bo Svensson, Horst Steffen, Lukas Kwasniok, Christian Eichner and Sandro Wagner. Pellegrino Matarazzo is also considered a possible trainer.

A look into the future

Friedhelm Funkel plans to play tennis on Saturday and feel fit while he will go on a cruise in the Mediterranean with his wife Anja for the first time in June. Funkel was the head coach of 1st FC Köln from February 2002 to October 2003 and led the club to the Bundesliga for the first time. In the spring of 2021 he took over again and secured the relegation in the Bundesliga in the last six season games and the relegation.

The 1. FC Köln is now faced with the challenge of finding a new coach until the season preparation in early July in order to optimally start the new season. All eyes are aimed at the club, while fans and media find out about the future development. Further information about change of coaching in the Bundesliga can be found on Transfermarkt .